In clinical trials of new drugs and vaccines, the analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) is increasingly recognized as a valuable tool to get insight into the cellular immune response. These data can be used as surrogates in clinical trials for evaluation and market authorisation of new prophylactic or therapeutic vaccines. The collection of the drawn blood and its transport to an isolation lab is a logistical challenge that requires sophisticated procedures and diligent oversight.

Cancer immunotherapy exploits the body’s own immune system to fight against cancer. CAR-T cell therapy is one of the breakthrough approaches that involves re-engineering a patient’s own
T cells to recognize and eradicate cancer.

Building on a relentless commitment to customer service and innovation, Beckman Coulter Life Sciences debuts a powerful new interactive customer resource with the launch of its Digital Campus. The 3D platform provides greater access to the company’s resources regardless of physical location and allows users to control their experience including the chance to get up close and personal with products and experts.

Gene Editing?CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing offers substantial improvements over previous gene editing technologies in terms of ease of use, speed, efficacy, and cost. Not surprisingly, CRISPR-Cas9 editing has taken biomedical science by storm. While the technology is relatively simple in handling at the level of basic research, the use of CRISPR genome editing in therapeutical applications poses a bunch of
analytical challenges.

When the time comes for a biopharma company to outsource its production, or to get support for the development of a new project, the pool of available CDMOs is quite deep. Everyone knows the big players, but maybe they are not suitable for everyone. They have proven expertise but as it happens with big organisations, they are usually not very flexible with increased indirect costs.